PSDiver Monthly Issue 74

Transcription

Greetings,
edited version of your letter without your knowledge.
For two months I ranted about the media coverage and
But you have to write. I like hearing from you.
the response to the BP spill. I think the mainstream
I have also been asked if I would consider adding a
media has finally caught up with us. While still very
Classified Ad Section to the magazine. I have thought
newsworthy, I will quit my rant on the subject. But I do
about doing this in the past but never followed through.
so with this reminder: we need the media to be friendly
So now I leave that up to you. Do
to our teams and departments and in
Welcome
our
Newest
Sponsor!
you want a Classified Ad section
our present economy cannot afford
added to the magazine?
to make an enemy of any media
outlet. But at the same time, we
Keep in mind that there will be a
must protect ourselves, teams and
cost. But I think classifieds could
municipality departments and
provide teams the opportunity to
agencies from inaccurate,
exchange unused gear, sell off older
inconsistent or sensationalistic
gear, or even find other useful
reporting.
items, merchandise or training
opportunities.
In this issue I have included some of
the Letters to the Editor that I
I will conduct an email poll to make
received recently. While I do receive
the final decision.
subscriber email I do not often
include a Letters to the Editor
If you want a Classified Ad
column because I see no reason to
section, Click here
publish the “Thanks, Good Job”
letters. Those letters are very
If you do NOT want a Classified
welcome and very much appreciated
Ad section, Click Here
but I do not usually publish them. I
think if you have an issue with
It is HOT in my part of the world
something, this magazine should
and heat injuries are a fact of life for
offer you an opportunity to express
us. Watch your selves and your
an opinion. However, unlike our
team members.
discussion group, I do reserve the
right to censure or edit what goes
Stay Hydrated and Stay Safe,
out publically in the magazine. That
Mark Phillips
does not mean we will not have
Editor / Publisher
conversation or that I will print an
PSDiver Monthly
2
SPECIAL to PSDiver Monthly
What will you say?
By Mark Phillips
In the classes I teach I continually stress the need for
documentation. I am questioned on occasion as to why.
Over the years I have just assumed that people
performing the work we do automatically do paperwork
and even though I know better, the question still catches
me by surprise.
In not so distant days, a call might be made for a dive
team to come look for a car, a weapon or a
body. The dive team would arrive, get geared
up and go look around. Sometimes they used a
line and a definitive search pattern, sometimes
they just all got in the water and swam around.
Divers International have worked to educate dive teams.
As screwed up as they are, even the National Incident
Management System managed to recognize that we are
more than just divers. But I dare you to find a fire
department dive team listed in NIMS Resource Typing.
And if and when you do find one, I challenge you to
compare what you do as a fire service dive team to the
description you read.
If you are a Public Safety Diver, you are identifying
yourself in the most generic way possible. What do you
do as a diver that improves or protects the safety of the
public? The best I have ever been able to come up with is
that our divers can pick up trash, bottles and cans from
the public swim areas.
If one of them found what they were looking
for, they would float, drag or tow it to shore.
There might be High 5’s all around and the
local LEO would take over and the divers would
go home.
That was an acceptable practice. But it was
only acceptable because they did not know any
better.
PSDiver – A
Textbook for Public
Safety Diving
By Mark Phillips
Times have changed.
~ An introduction to
Professional Training Agencies like Dive Rescue
International, Public Safety Diving Association,
Life Guard Systems and Emergency Response
Public Safety Diving
and Underwater Crime
Scene Investigation
Click here to order
If we do repair to a municipal dock or boat
ramp – it is a commercial dive. If we recover a
stolen vehicle it is a commercial dive. If we
follow the exact ruling of the OSHA exemption,
if we recover a body – it is a commercial dive!
You can argue against this all you want; I will
respect both your opinion and your ability to be
wrong.
What follows is MY opinion and does NOT
reflect the opinion of any agency. It is not a
legal opinion nor should it be used to justify
anything you do.
We have fallen under a whole new gray area of
the OSHA exemption. Unless we are performing
a rescue, we DO fall under the OSHA
Commercial Diving Standard. But because we
do what we do, and as long as we only do what
3
we do regarding recovery of vehicles, small boats,
weapons and bodies, we are not on the OSHA radar. But
what we DO has very little to do with diving to improve,
enhance or qualify the safety of the public we serve.
What we DO is recovery evidence. A vehicle is
evidence. A weapon is evidence. A body is
evidence. Anything the local LE asks us to dive for
is evidence. So when you go on a call to perform
an evidence recovery, what exactly are you doing
that causes you to identify yourself as a Public
Safety Diver? We use that term because in 1999
– it was the best thing we had heard and gave us
a common identity to describe what we did.
Skin diver magazine first came out in 1952.
Throughout the majority of the life of Skin Diver
magazine, divers - all divers - were referred to
as Skin Divers. In 1960, the editor of the
magazine explained the term in great detail and
ended his article with “Whether underwater for
commercial reasons or for pleasure, whether
using snorkel or lung or both, we all fall under the
general term SKIN DIVER and so it was for this
reason that SKIN DIVER MAGAZINE was so
named … to represent ALL underwater
enthusiasts”.
And similarly, we call ourselves Public Safety
Divers.
But we perform evidence recovery. If we recover
evidence we are more closely related to the NIMS
Resource Typing that describes Police Diver.
I have written a number of articles in the past
including one describing “The CSI Effect”. This effect
describes juries as being more aware of forensics and
crime scene terminology. So many TV shows have
introduced the general public to this field we must be
aware and cautious with what we do.
“Underwater
Crime Scene
Investigation”
By Eric Tackett
Out of print
and very hard
to find! We
found a small
hoard and
have them
here for you!
PSDiver
Monthly
Subscriber
Price
$20.00!
On Sale HERE!
What makes the difference between diving the old
ways and diving to recover evidence today?
Awareness and documentation.
If you have read only this article, you have no
more excuse for no or poor documentation. You
have been targeted and identified as an evidence
recovery diver. As a consequence, from this point
on when you are called to a dive you must
recognize that everything you did and everything
you touched is a part of an extraordinarily large
puzzle. You do not get to put it together. You do
not get to see the picture on the box. You do not
even get to see it once it is finished. You get to
provide a very tiny but extraordinarily important
piece of the puzzle. Your piece may be so
important that if you mess it up, the puzzle will
never be able to be completed.
Since we now recognize that we are gathering,
preserving and recovering evidence, we MUST
recognize the need for documentation.
What do we document? We should already be
documenting our dive plan. We should already be
drawing a scene sketch, writing witness
interviews, taking photos when possible and
keeping a running log of the entire diver
operation … right? So what else do we need?
4
We need more documentation. You need your own report.
You need your own observations written and stored in a
personal log for each and every dive call you are part of.
You cannot depend on someone else to write down
information. If you are called to testify and have no
written notes to fall back on other than someone else’s
notes – what could you possibly say?
s
recall. Even the one trial I was called to testify in - they
kept me in the DA's office for 2 1/2 hours then sent me
home. The guy pled a deal. I do not know if it was
because I was there to testify and had documentation and
photos in hand or if it was a coincidence. Regardless - I
was prepared. My puzzle pieces were all lined up and
ready.
After every mission - the Office in Charge (OIC) should do
all the agency/municipality paperwork. He should also
write an official After Action Report that includes all of the
information gathered during the event. This should be all
of the recorded information, documentation, sketches etc.
If photos are available, they should be copied and the
originals stored or given to the local LE or AHJ. Copies
should not be altered in any way. (If you wanted to
enhance a photo, make a copy of the original or the 1st
generation copy and use it). All of this documentation is
submitted to the proper channels
If you would like to discuss this topic or
and will leave the hands of the OIC.
any other, join our discussion group at:
What if your notes included observations that were
unique because of your perspective? Could you make a
difference if your tiny piece of the puzzle was the one?
Your notes will be kept and rewritten as an After Action
Report. The After Action Report should contain your
observations, actions, performance as well as the incident
details. Your notes as well as your After Action Reports
should be kept together. These are your documents and
your responsibility.
If it was YOU called to testify in a
criminal or civil suit and you have /
CLICK HERE
had no notes or information to back
you up, you will end up being butchered by an attorney.
If you show up to a deposition or are called to testify in
court and have a binder of your notes and After Action
Reports, your credibility as a witness will be greatly
enhanced. More importantly, because they are your
notes, they will give you a credible prompt during your
testimony and help you remember details that might have
otherwise been forgotten.
During your entire career, you may never be put into a
position where you are called to testify in court and
describe and defend your actions. In 30 years I have
been called to testify in court once. I have provided
documentation and photos at least three times I can
TO JOIN
The OIC should keep a copy of all the
paperwork that is submitted as well as his own personal
After Action Report!
Each diver or team member who performed ANY task on
an incident should write their own personal After Action
Report and include a copy of the Incident Report and the
OIC's official After Action Report.
There is NO Statue of Limitations on homicide. Recover a
revolver or body tomorrow and it is possible you could be
called to court ten years from now and it will be your
testimony that can make or break a criminal case.
What will you have to say?
5
NEWS
"Crossbow Cannibal".
Police divers find 'killing kit' dumped in river during
hunt for remains of murdered prostitutes
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-worldnews/2010/05/31/police-divers-find-killing-kit-dumped-in-riverduring-hunt-for-remains-of-murdered-prostitutes-86908-22298704/
May 31 2010 Lucy Thornton
POLICE divers hunting for the remains of murdered
prostitutes have found a "killing kit" of knives and
hacksaws. The tools were found in a black flight bag in a
river - at the same spot where body parts were
discovered. Detectives investigating the murders of three
vicegirls fear the tools may have been used to dismember
the women.
The bag was found in the
River Aire in Shipley,
Yorkshire.
On Saturday, two bags of
body parts were found at the
same spot. It is not yet
known if they were human or
animal.
Criminology student Stephen
Griffiths, 40, appeared in
court on Friday charged with
murdering Susan Rushworth,
43, Shelley Armitage, 31, and
Suzanne Blamires, 36. When
asked his name, Griffiths told
the court he was the
Only Suzanne's remains have
been found. They were
discovered last Tuesday in
black bin liners in the Aire. Her
head was discovered in a
rucksack on the riverbank. A
short distance away, two
polythene bags containing
remains were found on
Saturday.
The Forensic Teacher
The flight bag was found later
Online
that day. Police are examining
theforensicteacher.com
128 sites around Bradford as
they hunt for the remains of the other women.
Forensic experts are continuing their search in the River
Aire and are also carrying out searches across Bradford
city centre, sweeping the streets for clues and taking
samples of drain water. Wasteland behind the block of
flats where Griffiths lived in Bradford is also being
scrutinized.
The massive operation is expected to take weeks.
Griffiths is charged with the murders of Suzanne between
May 20 and May 25, of Susan between June 22 last year
and May 25 this year, and of Shelley between April 25
and May 25.
All three women were last seen in Bradford.
Griffiths is due in Griffiths is due in court again next
Monday.
6
Anxious wait for families as more
remains found in river at Shipley
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8193229.Anxiou
s_wait_for_families_as_more_remains_found_in_river/
31st May 2010 by James Rush
The families and friends of missing Bradford women
Susan Rushworth and Shelley Armitage were today
anxiously awaiting the results of forensic tests on remains
pulled out of the River Aire at the weekend.
Police were also looking closely at a suitcase, described as
being full of “tools”, taken from the same area.
Examinations were continuing today on remains found by
police investigating the disappearance of the two women
– just 200 yards from where the body parts of Suzanne
Blamires were discovered last Tuesday.
Searches at the River Aire, in
Shipley, and by Thornton
Road, Bradford, continued
over the weekend and were
expected to carry on today.
Remains were found in the
river by police at midday on
Saturday. Police have said
the remains were undergoing
forensic examination to
determine whether they were
human or animal.
Later on Saturday afternoon
a black carry-on suitcase
containing tools was also
pulled from the river
by police divers.
A West Yorkshire
Police spokesman
said the tools were
also to undergo a
full forensic
examination.
Stephen Griffiths,
40, is charged with
the murders of Miss
Blamires, aged 36,
Miss Armitage, aged
31, and Miss
Rushworth, aged 43.
Police divers spent
all day on Saturday
carrying out their
searches of the
River Aire. An
A suitcase is taken out of the
Underwater and
River
Aire at Shipley by police
Specialist Search
divers
in the hunt for vice girls
Unit was stationed
Susan Rushworth and Shelley
in a cordoned off
Armitage
area at the bottom
of Ives Street, in Shipley, as divers searched the river at
the bottom of the road.
The rain fell on officers who were standing on the bank
watching as divers in full wet suits remained underwater,
attached to an orange line, occasionally bobbing to the
surface.
7
Further up the river, two white tents were set up in a
cordoned off car park by Signs Direct, in Dockfield Road.
More:
Bradford murders: remains of second woman found
Police Community Support Officers stood guard at
cordons stopping people from walking along the riverbank
where the divers were stationed as well as the site of the
two tents in Dockfield Road.
Crossbow Cannibal police find remains of second
Bradford prostitute -
Members of the public stood and watched as TV camera
crews filmed the divers from a vantage point by the side
of the Baildon Woodbottom Working Men’s Club’s car
park.
Divers search river for body
Fingertip police searches were also taking place behind
the block of flats in Thornton Road, near to Bradford city
centre where Stephen Griffiths lives.
A police dive squad has been called in to help trawl the
Whanganui River for the body of a 30-year-old local man.
A police spokesman yesterday said officers were
continuing to search areas of Bradford city centre and the
River Aire and were proactively following several lines of
inquiry. The spokesman said: “This will continue
throughout the Bank Holiday period and into next week.
“Forensic examinations are ongoing into the remains
found in the River Aire yesterday and at this stage it is
unclear
whether they
are human or
animal. “The
suitcase which
was found
yesterday
contained tools,
which are to
undergo a full
forensic
examination.”
‘Crossbow cannibal’ may be moved to psychiatric
hospital
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/have-your-say/news/divers-search-riverfor-body/3915051/
1st June 2010 Kathryn King
Whanganui police Senior Sergeant Mark Chillingworth said
the man jumped into the river from the Aramoho Rail
Bridge about 9pm on Sunday.
A witness called police and a search was started with help
of the Wanganui Coastguard. The search continued for
about three hours but they were unable to find him. Mr
Chillingworth said river conditions at the time were calm
and flat.
The search resumed yesterday with five members of
Wanganui Search and Rescue, and seven members of the
police dive squad arriving from Wellington.
Senior Sergeant Darcy Forrester said although conditions
were calm, it would be difficult for divers to find the body.
"It's difficult to see in these conditions, they have to go
by feel."
8
Mr Forrester said the dive squad would concentrate their
efforts directly under the bridge as the current and
counter-tide from the sea made it unlikely the body would
have moved very far.
cleanup.
The divers began their search about 1pm yesterday.
Raft guide arrested after helping
stranded rafter on Clear Creek
Mr Chillingworth said police divers would continue their
search until dark, then reassess the situation.
Alabama fire chiefs: BP keeping local
officials away from oil spill response
http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-al--gulfoilspillfirechiefs%2C0%2C7256480.story
June 9, 2010 B Associated Press
FOLEY, Ala. (AP) — Fire chiefs along Alabama's coast are
complaining about BP's response to the Gulf oil spill crisis.
The 36-member Baldwin County Fire
Chiefs Association sent a letter
Wednesday to the unified command and
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley saying the
company appears to be purposely keeping
trained local officials away from the spill
response. They also say they're getting
far too little official information about
what's going on.
The president of the association, Gib
Hixon, says local emergency workers get
far more information about the spill from
news coverage than from the company or
officials at the command set up to handle
coastal protection systems and the
A spokesman at the unified command in Mobile didn't
immediately return messages seeking comment.
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_15278256
06/11/2010 By Jason Blevins The Denver Post
Clear Creek sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested a
rafting guide for swimming to a stranded young rafter
who had tumbled from his boat on Clear Creek.
Ryan Daniel Snodgrass, a 28-year-old guide with
Arkansas Valley Adventures rafting company, was
charged with "obstructing government operations," said
Clear Creek Sheriff Don Krueger.
"He was told not to go in the water, and he jumped
in and swam over to the victim and jeopardized the
rescue operation," said Krueger, noting that his
office was deciding whether to file similar charges
against another guide who was at the scene just
downstream of Kermitts Roadhouse on U.S. 6.
Duke Bradford, owner of Arkansas Valley
Adventures, said Snodgrass did the right thing by
contacting the 13-year-old Texas girl immediately
and not waiting for the county's search and rescue
team to assemble ropes, rafts and rescuers.
"When you have someone in sight who has taken a
long swim, you need to make contact
immediately," said Bradford, a 15-year rafting
guide and ski patroller from Summit County. "This
9
is just silly. Ryan Snodgrass acted entirely appropriately.
These guys came to the scene late and there was a
rescue in progress. They came in and took over an
existing rescue. To leave a patient on the side of a river
while you get your gear out of the car and set up a rescue
system you read about in a book is simply not good
policy."
The hidden world of police divers
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8727869.stm
14 June 2010 by Jon Kelly BBC News Magazine
Underwater search teams are a familiar sight
during major police investigations. But what is it
like to make a living probing the country's murkiest
recesses?
Snodgrass' raft flipped on the runoff-swelled Clear Creek
around noon Thursday and the girl swam from the raft.
Krueger said the girl was missing for 30 to 45 minutes
while Snodgrass searched for her. He said she swam a
half mile from the spot where the raft capsized.
Since it had been so long, Krueger said, it was no longer
the rafting company's rescue.
"They should involve themselves up to a point. They lost
contact. Whether they want to say they were trying to
rescue their customer, when they had lost visual contact
and had no idea where their customer has been for 30 to
45 minutes, then it becomes our issue."
Bradford said he would expect his guides to do the same
thing again. His guides are professionals, he said, trained
and certified in swiftwater rescue.
"To jump into water and navigate a river in a swiftwater
rescue is common. You get into the river and swim. You
have to do it," Branford said. "The fact these guys don't
understand that is disturbing. Making contact immediately
with your victim is essential. It's not about who is in
charge. It's about the safety of a 13-year-old girl. You are
going to do everything in your power to insure the safety
of your guest, and if that means in Idaho Springs you get
arrested, well I guess we'll just get arrested."
Submerged in darkness, chilled in near-frozen water, you
grope your way through the silt and debris. Somewhere,
amid the sludge and the discarded rubbish, is your
quarry: a knife, a gun or a body.
With colleagues on dry land depending on you, how on
earth do you find what you are looking for?
For the UK's army of police divers, patrolling rivers,
canals and seas is a daily challenge. The sight of officers
in dry suits and breathing apparatus has been a familiar
sight on TV news bulletins during the recent triple murder
inquiry in Bradford, the search for missing chef Claudia
Lawrence and the Milly Dowler probe.
10
Often searching at night
TO BE A POLICE DIVER
and in cold weather,
officers invariably have to
contend with nil-visibility
conditions, weeds, mud
and refuse. Methodically
sweeping the search area
to ensure no inch is
missed, they have to
contend with tides,
frequently inclement
Officers must serve two years
weather and the challenge
before specialising
of constantly maintaining
Some are recreational divers
concentration.
before joining, many are not
Must complete eight-week
One officer who has to
intensive course and regular
refreshers
contend with these
challenges on a daily basis is Sgt Steve Howe, 39, who
has served with Northumbria Police's Marine Unit for eight
years.
Although he had to undergo a rigorous eight-week
training programme before
he could join the unit,
followed by regular
mandatory refresher
courses, Sgt Howe admits
that nothing could have
prepared him for the
murky reality of Tyneside
and Wearside's hidden
depths. "If you're
claustrophobic, it's
definitely not for you," he “If you're claustrophobic, it's
definitely not for you “
says. "About 90% of the
Sgt Steve Howe
time you have absolutely
no visibility. You've
always got the danger of
entanglement. "And let's
face it, it isn't very
pleasant when you're
called out at 3am in
February."
How police search
underwater
Nonetheless, Sgt Howe
loves his job, taking
great satisfaction from
the fact that a
Diver searches to end of line,
breakthrough discovery
then moves a weight forward
can make the difference
1m and searches back
between a murder
diagonally
investigation foundering
or progressing. "It sounds strange, but I
always feel most proud when I find a deceased," he says.
"Otherwise, the family wouldn't have a body - they can
draw a line under it."
As well as searches of rivers, canals and the sea, officers
in the unit perform counter-terror security sweeps and
searches of confined spaces such as culverts and drains.
When they are submerged, each diver has a full face
mask with a lifeline - a cable which means the officers on
the surface know exactly where the divers are.
WHAT'S A DRY SUIT?
For safety reasons, there
Worn by police divers
are always fewer divers in
Unlike a wet suit, prevents
the water than on the
water reaching the skin
surface. For the
Needed due to risk of
Northumbria force, four
poisonous liquid and
officers from the diving unit
polluted water
will be above ground for
11
How police search
underwater
Several divers swim together
in formation, joined by a line
held by an officer on the bank
each one underwater.
Nonetheless, the job is
always going to be an
intricate and dangerous
one, with the diver
constantly having to be
wary of the danger of
entanglement.
Swim in a skip
One officer who
manages to take it in his
stride is Sgt Stewart
Kennedy, 43, who has
served with the
Metropolitan Police's
Marine Policing Unit for
11 of his 17 years with
the force.
The unit's Underwater
and Confined Spaces
Search Team carries out
Diver swims in arc - on
about 250 searches each
reaching bank, 1m of line is
year, spending on
released, diver swims in arc
average 55% of their
further out
time diving, 25% wading
and 20% in confined spaces. "I actually find it very
relaxing - when you're under water, all the weight is
taken off you," Sgt Kennedy laughs.
But as one of nine divers with the unit, the conditions he
can be called in to endure 24 hours a day are a long way
from what most people would consider soothing. "The
way I'd describe London's canal system - which is our
bread and butter - is imagine a very large skip that
anybody can throw rubbish into, and then fill it up with
water," Sgt Kennedy adds.
"Hypodermic needles,
builders' rubble, traffic
cones - everything you can
imagine is down there.
Because you can't see,
you're doing fingertip
searches, and you learn to
recognise everything by
touch."
In the 1950s, divers - then
Still, the Met's underwater
called frogmen - used
officers can at least rely on
primitive equipment
an arsenal of sophisticated
kit, from two-way communications equipment which
allows them to talk to colleagues on the surface, to
dinghies and fast response boats.
It is all a long way from the not-too-distant past, as
retired Devon and Cornwall officer Dave Peake recalls. He
spent 15 of his 31 years in the force from 1968 as a
police diver
- or, as he
was initially
described, a
"frogman".
At first there
was no
standing
underwater
unit, as
today - so
12
Mr Peake would serve as an ordinary Pc working the beat
out of his local station, but could be dispatched at any
time along the 600 miles of coastline that surrounded the
constabulary. "It's amazing what they have access to
today - the equipment has really come on," he says. "We
didn't even have safety lines back then - you had to make
your way through the water in nil visibility without them.
"All the same, it's a hugely rewarding task - I'm very
proud of what we did and I still go diving at 66."
The job description may have been transformed, but
demand for underwater officers is not likely to go away
any time soon. Beneath the surface, the search goes on.
Bibb firefighters train for underwater
search and rescue
http://www.macon.com/2010/06/17/1165346/firefighters
-train-for-underwater.html
June 17, 2010 By AMY LEIGH WOMACK [email protected]
Macon-Bibb County firefighter Garin Flanders admits it’s
a “spooky, eerie feeling” to dive into what’s often murky
darkness and use his hands to search in the water.
Flanders
started diving
about 12 years
ago while going
on cruises and
trips to the
coast. After
joining the fire
department, he
saw the
firefighter
dive team as
a way to put
his skills to
use helping
people.
“It’s knowing
there’s
somebody
who needs
you,” said
BEAU CABELL/THE TELEGRAPH —
Flanders, who
Macon-Bibb County firefighter Damon
has been a
Lawson suits up to train with others on
firefighter for
the dive rescue team in the Ocmulgee
five years
River on Wednesday morning at Water
Works Park
and has been
on the dive
team for four years. “Somebody’s got to do it.”
Flanders and other fire department divers trained in a
swift section of the Ocmulgee River at the Water Works
Park canoe launch Wednesday.
About a dozen of the team’s 48 divers practiced searching
the floor of the river. The team trains each year during
the month of June in the river and at Lake Tobesofkee,
said Capt. Randy Moore.
Moore said the firefighters practice rescue and recovery
scenarios such as simulating a swimmer stranded on a
sandbar or positioning a diver on the bottom of the river
so other divers can find him.
The divers also practice a series of silent signals
performed by a calculated number of pulls on a rope.
13
When each
firefighter
performs a water
search they’re
attached to rope
that’s being held
by a firefighter
either on the
bank or in a
boat, Moore said.
The divers also practice dodging debris such as large
trees and branches while searching. “Things are
continually washing down,” Moore said.
Since the diver
can’t
communicate
verbally while
underwater and
hand signals
often can’t be
seen, the
firefighters are
trained to pull on
the rope in
certain
sequences to
communicate.
It was just before dark, and the firefighters really didn’t
have time to don their gear and do much of a search
since they don’t search at night, he said.
While the divers are eager to perform rescues, many
times they’re called on to search for someone who may
have died and is lost in the water. Flanders recalled the
night when firefighters were dispatched after 48-year-old
James Tyson, of Warner Robins, went missing while scuba
diving at Lake Tobesofkee last July.
Seeing family and friends gathered nearby, Flanders and
another fire department diver tethered themselves
together with a rope and started searching for Tyson. “We
wanted to do something other than just stand there,” he
said.
Police divers mark out a grid to
aid them in their search.
For example, when the firefighter out of the water yanks
on the rope twice, the diver understands he is being told
to change direction. Four yanks means to come to the
surface, Moore said.
When the diver pulls on the rope three times, it means
the diver has found what he’s searching for. Four yanks
or more means the diver needs help, he said.
As darkness
fell about an
hour later, the
two
firefighters
found Tyson.
Authorities
have said
Tyson’s
oxygen tank
wasn’t on
when divers
discovered his
body near the
bottom of the
Macon-Bibb County firefighter Jason
Moss prepares to swim under the
surface of the Ocmulgee River on
Wednesday morning during a training
exercise. BEAU CABELL/THE TELEGRAPH
14
lake in about 15 feet of water.
To help perform rescues as quickly as possible, fire trucks
in Macon and Bibb County have been equipped with a
snorkel, mask and dive fins for about the past 10 years,
Moore said.
The fire department’s dive team was founded in 1982 by
a group of 18 firefighters who used their personal dive
equipment, said Moore, who was an original team
member.
Over the years, the team has grown not only in its
number of members, but by acquiring fire department
dive equipment and a boat. To qualify for the team,
firefighters must first complete between 40 and 50 hours
of open water dive training. They then perform an
additional 40 to 50 hours of fire department dive training,
Moore said.
One of the hardest parts of qualifying is an exercise that
requires firefighters to put their gear on underwater,
Flanders said.
Jason Moss,
one of the
team’s newest
members,
said he joined
the team
because he’d
always
wanted to
learn to dive.
“I love being
in the water,”
Moss said.
While training
to be a
firefighter in
2008, Moss
heard that the
department
had a dive
team. He
joined the team
in 2009 and
still is waiting for his first rescue call, Moss said.
Chief Marvin Riggins said membership on the team is
voluntary. Firefighters don’t receive extra compensation
to be on the team. “It’s the satisfaction of knowing you’re
helping someone,” he said.
Information from The Telegraph’s archives was used in
this report. To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call
744-4398.
Read more:
http://www.macon.com/2010/06/17/1165346/firefighters
-train-for-underwater.html#ixzz0swiZagdw
Divers seek clues in unsolved Farmers
Branch police killing
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Divers-Search-forEvidence-in-1983-Police-Unsolved-Killing-96924619.html
June 22, 2010 by REBECCA LOPEZ WFAA
VIDEO ON SITE
DALLAS — It's a difficult job, searching murky water for
evidence that may have been at the bottom of a pond for
27 years.
15
Kevin Brooks of the Dallas County District Attorney's
office is leading an investigation into a cold case involving
the murder of a Farmers Branch police officer. "It could
be the type of evidence that would lead to an indictment,"
Brooks said.
Dallas police divers are helping in the search for answers.
They are working with the district attorney's office and
Farmers Branch police to solve the case of Officer Lowell
Tribble.
On August 27, 1983, someone shot the officer through
the windshield of his squad car as he drove through an
apartment complex at around 1 a.m. Tribble lived at the
complex and had just finished a dinner break.
Officer Tribble is the only Farmers Branch police officer
ever killed in the line of duty. His fellow officers want to
solve this case, but there have never been any good leads
until now.
Divers have now been out to the pond in the 6700 block
of Northaven Road in North Dallas twice, but have not yet
found what they are looking for. They say they will keep
searching until they either find something or the entire
pond has been thoroughly examined.
MORE:
Cold Case Team Searches for New Evidence in Cop
Killing
Neighbors heard four gunshots.
Divers search Dallas pond for evidence in '83
slaying of Farmers Branch police ...
The case went cold almost immediately. “People have
been very reluctant to come forward in this one," Brooks
said.
Three civil rights workers lynched
It is the longest unsolved police killing in the State of
Texas. District Attorney Craig Watkins reopened the case
recently as part
of his cold case
squad after
someone came
forward with a
tip. “We had
information
that there could
be something
of interest in
this pond,"
Brooks said.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/crime
/Three-civil-rights-workers-lynched-96666939.html
June 21, 2010 By: Liz Essley Examiner Staff Writer
On this day, June 21, in 1964, three civil rights
workers were lynched by members of the Ku Klux
Klan during what is known as the Freedom
Summer.
Police arrested and detained James Cheney, Andrew
Goodman and Michael Schwerner in Neshoba County,
Miss., before handing them over, after dark, into the
hands of Klan members, who beat and murdered them
before burying their bodies in an earthen dam.
16
Mazda 929. She’d recently moved to Byron to establish
herself and get a job teaching in Houston County.
The outcry after their
disappearance caused President
Johnson to pressure J. Edgar
Hoover and the FBI to investigate
the case. Navy divers discovered
the bodies of seven other missing
blacks while searching for the civil
rights workers.
She learned last week via text message that her stolen
car — and one other also reported stolen — had been
found submerged in the Ocmulgee River near Knoll’s
Landing in Houston County.
In 1967, seven Mississippi men
were convicted on conspiracy
charges. Eight other defendants
were acquitted, and three had
Click Here for
mistrials. Edgar Ray Killen was
More Information
charged with three counts of
murder on Jan. 7, 2005, four decades later, when he was
80 years old. He was convicted of manslaughter on June
21, the 41st anniversary of the murders.
Read more at the Washington Examiner:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/crime/Threecivil-rights-workers-lynched-96666939.html#ixzz0rhPFNFMi
Middle Georgia waterways popular
dumping grounds for stolen cars
http://www.macon.com/2010/06/21/1169596/area-waterwayspopular-dumping.html
Jun. 21, 2010 By AMY LEIGH WOMACK
It’s been seven years since that morning Laura Sanders
awoke to find that her car had been stolen from a
suburban Byron yard.
Sanders, now a Danville resident, had used her college
graduation money to pay for a new paint job on her
Houston County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Robert Clark said
finding the cars June 13 near Knoll’s landing wasn’t the
first time deputies have found stolen cars in a river.
On a previous occasion deputies located a stolen car in
the Flint River in Taylor County, Clark said. “If you’re
looking at it from the mind of a criminal, (a river) might
be a good place to get rid of (stolen cars) without
someone finding them for a while,” he said.
Bibb County
sheriff’s Capt.
Mike
Smallwood
can remember
several stolen
cars found in
water over
the course of
his 36-year
career.
As a patrol
deputy in
1977, he
helped out
when deputies
found about
BEAU CABELL/THE TELEGRAPH Marcus
Birt talks about the Ocmulgee River
currents that swept a pickup truck
launching a boat off Ga. 96 near the
Houston County -Twiggs County line.
Several other vehicles were found while
authorities searched for the truck.
17
10 stolen cars in a water pool at a rock quarry near
Mumford Road and the Georgia Industrial Children’s
Home. “They’d put a brick on the gas pedal and let them
go,” Smallwood said. “There’s no telling how long they
were in there.”
Smallwood said he can also recall stolen cars being
recovered from the Ocmulgee River near what’s now
Water Works Park and the Ocmulgee at Bond Swamp.
Typically, deputies found the cars when water receded
and people called in tips after spotting them. In the case
of the cars at the rock quarry, the vehicles were spotted
when the pool of water was drained, he said. Sanders’ car
was found on June 13 when a man’s truck slipped into the
Ocmulgee at Knoll’s Landing, located off Ga. 96 near the
Houston-Twiggs county line, Clark said.
the truck in the
river, said Mike
Adams, owner
of the towing
and recovery
business.
Clark said two
of the vehicles
were identified
as being stolen
— Sanders’ car
and one other
that had been stolen in Macon. He didn’t have information
about any other cars found in the river.
The cars were completely submerged, he said. “They’d
been in there for a while,” Clark said.
The man told deputies he was backing his truck up to the
dock to unload his boat, when he lost control of a rope
tied to the boat, according to a sheriff’s office report.
Sanders’ car was crushed on the top and was missing
parts. It had mussels growing inside of it and was
covered in mud, according to the sheriff’s office report.
He tried to put the truck into park and grab the rope, but
the truck rolled backward into the river, according to the
report.
The other stolen car, a 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche, had
been missing since April 2008, according to a Macon
police report. The car, owned by James Howard Rish Jr. of
Cleveland, Ga., was taken from Best Western Riverside
Inn, 2400 Riverside Drive.
Divers
working for
Mike Adams
Towing and
Recovery
found
Sanders’ car
and five
others while
trying to find
Sanders said she was very surprised authorities found her
car.
At the time of the theft, she had been living with Robin
Radcliffe and her family in Byron.
18
Sanders usually
parked on the
grass at the
Radcliffes’ home
in a suburban culde-sac, Radcliffe
said.
One morning,
Radcliffe’s
husband was
preparing to leave
for work when he
noticed Sanders’
car was gone. “I
was shocked,” Radcliffe said. “We didn’t hear anything.
“It freaked us out.”
Radcliffe, named as the victim on the stolen car report,
received a call from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office
on Tuesday — about seven years after the car was stolen.
After hearing that the car had been found, she sent a
message to Sanders. “We kinda figured it was chopped,”
said Sanders. “The fact that they found it was surprising.”
Read more:
http://www.macon.com/2010/06/21/1169596/area-waterwayspopular-dumping.html#ixzz0rhOEUs1X
Kewaskum man dies day after water
rescue
http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20100622/FON0101/62204
01/Kewaskum-man-dies-day-after-water-rescue
The Reporter Staff • June 22, 2010
A rural Kewaskum man who was under water for 38
minutes in a Kewaskum park swimming area, died
Monday afternoon at a Milwaukee hospital. Kewaskum
police said the victim was Alexander J. Becker, 20, who
resided in rural Kewaskum, east of the village. Becker
was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. Monday at Froedtert
Hospital in Wauwatosa.
Officials say they responded to Kewaskum Kiwanis
Community Park on the west side of Kewaskum around
2:50 p.m. Sunday, following a report of a missing person
in the swimming area of the park.
Lifeguards at the pool were searching for a man who had
dived off a diving board on the swimming platform and
had gone under water after surfacing once, according to
police.
A Kewaskum Fire and Rescue team also was dispatched
with one of their dive team members. Other divers who
responded were from the West Bend Fire and Rescue
Department and the Washington County Sheriff's
Department. The group was on a similar rescue effort six
days earlier
when they
pulled a boy
from Mauthe
Lake who later
died.
At Kewaskum,
one of the
divers found
Becker about
38 minutes
19
after the incident occurred in 12 to 17 feet of water.
Becker was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in
duty, Knoebel said. Two others happened to be at the
scene.
West Bend and then flown by Flight for Life helicopter to
Froedtert Hospital.
A crisis team spent time Sunday night assisting the 10
lifeguards, he said.
Kewaskum Police Chief Richard Knoebel said it appears
that Becker did a back-flip dive from one of the diving
boards and landed on his stomach. He came up at first
and then slipped beneath the water.
Flood ‘victim’ surfaces in harbour two
years on
Knoebel said the diving board was about 9 feet high, and
water in the area was about 12 feet deep. He said he was
told Becker knew how to swim and had been seen
swimming earlier to a raft. He was at the pool with a
friend. At the time of the incident, Kiwanis Park lifeguards
started an immediate search, Knoebel said, and cleared
the pool of all other persons.
Police say cause of death remains under investigation and
an autopsy is planned. "It
is not known whether
Alexander suffered from a
medical event…," Knoebel
said, adding alcohol use is
not suspected.
The pool was closed on
Monday, Knoebel said, to
give lifeguards "a chance to
collect themselves."
Because the incident
occurred during a shift
change, four lifeguards
were about to leave duty
and four were coming on
http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=577582
2010/06/25 Gareth Wilson
NAVY divers yesterday recovered a 2004-model Renault
panel van that was apparently washed into the Port
Elizabeth harbour in a flash flood two years ago.
Navy underwater security specialist Captain Francois du
Toit said sonar had picked up the vehicle on the harbour
bed. “We decided to investigate and deployed divers,” he
said.
Du Toit said police divers had also been asked to assist
with the recovery operation. “We initially attempted to
hoist the vehicle out of the water with a crane, but it was
too heavy.”
The vehicle was then towed out of the water at the
slipway and handed over to the police.
Police sources initially said the vehicle had been
underwater for a year “at least” and barnacles had been
growing on it. “It is registered to a company called Repro
House in Port Elizabeth,” the officer said. “The manager
said the vehicle had been washed away in flash floods
around 2007 or 2008.”
20
The Glasgow men died
alongside their friend Craig
Currie, 30, and Mr Carty’s
brother William Carty, 47, as
they tried to return across the
loch to their campsite in a
small boat from the Tight Line
pub in Loch Awe village.
The accident took place in
thick fog in the early hours of
March 21 last year.
OUT YOU COME ... A van washed away in a flash flood
was found by navy divers in the Port Elizabeth harbour
yesterday. Picture: EUGENE COETZEE
Police diver’s explanation of delay in
finding bodies
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1800663?UserKey
Remains of anglers floated to surface eventually
26/06/2010
A police diver yesterday explained yesterday why it took
10 weeks for the bodies of two anglers who perished in
Loch Awe to be found.
Kenneth Freeman, 43, a dive supervisor with the
underwater search unit, Strathclyde Police, said bitterly
cold and murky conditions hampered dive teams in the
search for Stephen Carty, 42, and Thomas Douglas, 36.
The bodies of Mr Currie and
http://t-rescue.com
William Carty, who were
wearing buoyancy aids, were recovered a short time
later.
But it was May 31 before Stephen Carty, who had a faulty
lifejacket, and Thomas Douglas, who had no lifejacket,
were found washed up on an island. It is believed that the
cold conditions also prevented them floating to the
surface sooner.
Mr Freeman told the fatal accident inquiry at Oban Sheriff
Court that he and other divers were hampered by the cold
conditions and the uncertainty of the location where the
first two men were recovered.
Constable Freeman said: “The fire officers could not be
accurate at all. They were estimating the positions where
they thought the two people had been recovered. On the
first day the search had to be aborted on the fifth dive
because we had equipment problems because of the cold.
21
My regulator had actually frozen.” He said the water
temperature was between 4-6C with 10ft visibility.
Sonar equipment was brought in but was unable to find
the bodies or the boat.
The two bodies were only found when they eventually
came to the surface.
The inquiry continues on Monday.
Read more:
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1800663?
UserKey=#ixzz0swVqEQgM
Dramatic Lake of the Woods rescue
saves man trapped in the cabin of
capsized boat
http://www.newrichmondnews.com/event/article/id/39177/group/Sports/publisher_ID/9/
A dramatic rescue unfolded on Lake of the Woods
Monday afternoon when a police diver and several
nearby fishermen freed a man who had been trapped in
the submerged cabin of his capsized Stingray boat for
more than two hours.
Minn., resulted in the dramatic rescue of a Grand Forksarea man who’d been in the water nearly 3 hours after
the boat he was in capsized Monday afternoon.
“It was a tremendous rescue,” Block said this morning.
“We had rough water — 8-foot-plus waves — so you can
just imagine. We thought we were going to have a
dragging operation, and it turned out we had a successful
rescue and only because of the help of our resorters.”
According to Block, seven men from the Grand Forks area
were anchored about six miles north of Pine Island on
Monday afternoon when the boat capsized. The boat had
taken on water, unbeknownst to the anglers, because of
problems with the bilge pump, Block said.
One of the men caught a fish, Block said, and when the
rest of the anglers walked to that side of the boat to
witness the catch, the 25-foot Stingray capsized.
Six of the men were rescued by other boats nearby, Block
said, but one man fishing in the bow area was unable to
get free of the craft.
Block said the sheriff’s department received word of the
capsizing about 2 p.m. Monday. “When we got the report,
July 1, 2010 By: Brad Dokken, Hudson Star-Observer
we know the boat had capsized
Submersible
Comparing Spare Air to a
ROSEAU, Minn. -- For awhile
and six people had been picked
Systems, Inc. pony system? Find out why
Monday afternoon, Lake of the
up and one was missing,” Block
800-648Spare Air is the better choice.
Woods County Sheriff Dallas
said.
3863
Block thought authorities were
Spare Air Saved My Life...
going to be dragging the bottom
Names of the seven men
Real life stories of how
of Lake of the Woods for a body.
onboard
weren’t immediately
Spare Air emergency air
available
this morning.
system saved the day!
Instead, a team effort between
The sheriff said Brian Ney of
local resorts and authorities
21 ways YOU can run out of
Adrian’s Resort was on the lake
from as far away as Roseau,
air? Bet you can't name 6!....
22
and swam to the
capsized boat. Ney
talked to the man
trapped inside the bow,
Block said, learning he
still had plenty of
oxygen. Divers from
the Roseau Police
Department and
Baudette then got into
the cabin and rescued
the man, who by that
time had been trapped
about 2½ hours, Block
said.
Family awaits tests on body found in
river
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20100702130
116103C854678
July 02 2010 By Lavern de Vries Crime Writer
A Goodwood family is on tenterhooks while they wait for
DNA results that may determine whether a body
recovered from a river is that of their daughter who went
missing a year ago.
Rochelle de Beer, 34, disappeared last June.
The days of dragging
your fins in and out of the
water are finally over!
1-877-FlipFin
Ney didn’t immediately
respond to requests for
OmegaAquatics.com
comment this morning.
According to Block, Steve Ballard of Ballard’s Resort and
Tony Beckel of Sportsman’s Lodge were able to hook on
to the boat and tow it to shore. Also assisting in the
rescue were personnel from Wheeler’s Point Resort and
the U.S. Border Patrol, which supplied a boat and a diver.
“Thanks to a combined effort, we were successful,” Block
said.
The sheriff said the men wouldn’t have had the problems
they encountered with the boat taking on water if they’d
known about the faulty bilge pump. “But on the other
hand, this lake needs to be respected,” Block said. “It can
get rough fast.”
Brad Dokken is a reporter at the Grand Forks (N.D.)
Herald, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
Although her body was never found, police arrested her
boyfriend in connection with her disappearance. According
to police spokesperson Warrant Officer November
Filander, 36-year-old Francois Johannes Pretorius was
formally charged with De Beer's murder and appeared in
the Bellville Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
Filander said that even though
it had not been established
that the body recovered was
De Beer's, there was enough
evidence to charge him with
her murder. He will apply for
bail on July 27.
Mother-of-two De Beer was
last seen at a pub having
drinks with Pretorius. After
she vanished last year,
several suspects were
questioned, including
Pretorius, who told police he
had dropped her at her gated
23
complex in Durbanville on
the night of her
disappearance.
From Skin Diver Magazine – December 1960
of a river in the vicinity
about a year ago.
Vasson said: "They told us
that they hadn't contacted
us because the body was
dark, yet they also told us
that during decomposition,
a fair-skinned person
becomes darker."
Her family, however,
believe that she never
arrived home that night.
"She had a lodger, who
was also questioned by
police, and he said that he
came home late that
night, but she never
arrived," her niece, Tanya
Vasson, said on Thursday
at the family's Goodwood
home.
Because no one claimed
the body, the state
cremated the woman, but
retained her head and hip
bone. Police have since
taken blood samples from
Three days after her
both parents to determine
disappearance, her
whether the remains are
parents reported her
De Beer's. "They said
Auto Recovery – 1960 - Click to see full size image
missing. "It was not like
they'd try to get the
her to just leave without saying anything; she and her
results before his (Pretorius's) next court appearance,
mother spoke often and it was strange that she never
where we hope he will be denied bail," said De Beer's
phoned home," said her father, Dirk Groenewald.
visibly emotional cousin, Elisma Stodart. She said the
family was eager to get the results to get closure.
All her clothes, cellphone and wallet were still at her flat,
he said. "She wouldn't leave her children either. They
De Beer's elder son, Keenan, 11, who has been told of his
were her life," Groenewald added.
mother's disappearance, continues to tell his friends that
"the mother who lived for them" is dead. "You never stop
A few weeks ago, the family was contacted by an
searching, wondering and praying because she's your
investigating officer who said police were following new
child," said Groenewald.
leads. Filander explained that further investigation had
led police to search for the victim's body in a river in the
Today Groenewald was expected to accompany the
Durbanville area. "Nothing was found," he said.
investigating officer to the river where the body was
found a year ago.
But police divers recalled that they had fished a body out
24
Until then, the family lives in hope that the body is not
that of their daughter.
Wisconsin Police Divers Train for Vehicle
Recovery
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1800663?UserKey=#ixzz0swVqEQgM
July 4, 2010 By Sarah Thomsen
Featured Videos: Police Divers Get Special Training
Police dive teams from departments across Wisconsin
wrapped up a special training exercise late Wednesday. A
federal grant helped teach them how to safely pull
vehicles from the water.
Invisibly submerged 18 feet below the surface of the bay,
an old conversion van is stuck in weeds and muck.
Police dive teams from Green Bay, Brown County, and
Superior must remove it from the water. "We've found
that some vehicles are much more difficult to life straight
up, and it's a coordinated effort requiring a lot of
training," Officer Dave Van Erem, Green Bay Police
Department, said.
Green Bay and
Brown County have
never trained for
this but have had to
do it. In 2007, police
pulled the car of a
missing woman,
Mahalia Xiong, from
the Fox River. At the
time they didn't
have all the proper
equipment or
training and actually
had to use a crane
from a nearby
construction site. "In
the end, the results
would be the same.
We were lucky--"
Van Erem said,
emphasizing that
last word-- "to have
had a crane available that day but we didn't have lift bags
available, so we would have had to call, like, a Shawano
County or Marinette County dive team.
Now it won't be a problem.
Each department will receive all the equipment they
trained with when
they're done. It's worth
about $5,000 per
diver, and it's all
equipment none of
them has right now.
"It's necessary
equipment to have,
and today's world we
would not be able to
purchase that with
local tax dollars,"
Captain Arleigh Porter,
Sturgeon Bay Police
Department, said.
New communication
sets let divers and
25
crews on shore talk with each other. “It's a little more
comforting hearing somebody talk to you while you're
underneath cars and stuff and working in zero visibility
down there," Lieutenant Scott Schermitzler, Brown
County Dive Team, said.
There are lift bags inflated through air hoses, and tow
straps carefully attached to the van's frame. As they
would during an actual recovery, they use the equipment
to position the van close to shore and pull it out with a
wrecker.
They know if it happens again, these divers will be
trained, equipped, and ready to go.
BP, Governments Downplay Public
Health Risk From Oil and Dispersants
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/riki-ott/the-big-lie-bpgovernment_b_638369.html
July 7, 2010 (photos on web site)
Pensacola Beach, FL -- When Ryan Heffernan, a
volunteer with Emerald Coastkeeper, noticed a bag of oily
debris floating off in Santa Rosa Sound, she ran up to
BP's HazMat-trained workers to ask if they would retrieve
it. "No, ma'am," one replied politely. "We can't go in the
ocean. It's contaminated."
Ryan waded in and retrieved the bag. That was
Wednesday, June 23, the first day visible oil hit Pensacola
Beach. Ryan had been swimming off the beach the day
before, as she said, "to get in my last swim before the oil
hit." The trouble is that not all of the oil coming ashore is
visible. Dispersed oil - tiny bubbles of oil encased in
chemical dispersants - are in the water column. On
Thursday Ryan was treated at a local doctor's office for
skin rash on her legs.
Three days later on Pensacola Beach, I watched BP's
HazMat-trained workers shovel surface oiled sand and oily
debris into bags early in the morning. The workers
followed the waterline like shorebirds, scurrying up the
beach in front of
breaking waves and
moving back down
with receding waters.
The late morning sun
retired the workers to
the shade of their
tents and the job of
"observing," while it
brought out throngs of
beach-goers -children, parents,
grandparents -- who
happily plunged into the
second thought.
Skin rash and blisters after
wading and walking in Mobile
Bay, Alabama, on May 11.
"contaminated" ocean without a
I was astounded. Why did people think the ocean was
safe for swimming?
There were five HazMat tents, four front-loaders, and at
least two dozen HazMat workers on the beach. HazMat
workers wore yellow over-boots duct-taped to their long
pants' legs to minimize risk of contact with the water. The
white surf popped with visible black tar balls as it rolled
towards the beach. Waves left an oily signature of tar
balls on the beach, melting in the sun. The treads of my
Chacos weighed down with oily sand despite trying to
avoid the mess. Most people were barefoot. Hotels set up
oil cleaning stations on their premises - and signs saying
26
the water advisory (put in place after Ryan's incident) had
been lifted.
What's wrong with this picture? Lots.
For starters, Ryan's story from Pensacola Beach is not an
isolated incident. I have received emails and heard
personal stories from Louisiana to Florida of people who
have developed skin rashes and blisters from going in the
ocean. People describe stings by "invisible jellyfish."
Turtle patrol volunteers who walk beaches daily write of
blisters and bronchitis. And then there are individuals like
Sheri Allen who took her dog for a walk on a beach in
Mobile Bay in May.
Sheri wrote me that her "arms and legs were burning,
even after the shower. The following morning ... (there
were) ... small blood blisters. By evening the blisters had
begun to welt. By the fourth day, the areas had got larger
and swollen." She went to see a doctor but the sores
remain and they have begun to scar her arms and legs.
For several days after Sherri's incident, her husband
found fish kills on the beach.
William Rea, MD, who founded the Environmental Health
Center-Dallas, treated a number of sick Exxon Valdez
cleanup workers. He once told me, "When you have sick
people and sick animals, and they are sick because of the
same chemical, that's the strongest evidence possible
that that chemical is a problem."
It's not just skin rashes and blisters. At community
forums, I commonly hear from adults and children with
persistent coughs, stuffy sinuses, headaches, burning
eyes, sore throats, ear bleeds, and fatigue. These
symptoms are consistent across the four Gulf states that I
have visited. Further, the symptoms of respiratory
problems, central nervous system distress, and skin
irritation are consistent with overexposure to crude oil
through the two primary routes of exposure: inhalation
and skin contact.
Most distressing to me are stories about sick children.
"Dose plus host makes the poison," I learned in
toxicology. A small child is at risk of breathing a higher
dose of contaminants per body weight than an adult.
Children, pregnant women, people with compromised or
stressed immune systems like cancer survivors and
asthma sufferers, and African Americans are more at risk
from oil and chemical exposure - the latter because they
are prone to sickle cell anemia and 2-butoxyethanol can
cause, or worsen, blood disorders.
Public officials have failed to sound an alarm about the
public health threat because three federal agencies DHHS, EPA, and OSHA - cannot find any unsafe levels of
oil in air or water. Perhaps the federal air and water
standards are not stringent enough to protect the public
from oil pollution. Our federal laws are outdated and do
not protect us from the toxic threat from oil - now widely
recognized in the scientific and medical community.
BP is still in the dark ages on oil toxicity. BP officials
stress that, by the time oil gets to shore, it is "weathered"
and missing the highly volatile compounds like the
carcinogenic benzene, among others. BP fails to mention
the threat from dispersed oil, ultrafine particles (PAHs),
and chemical dispersants, which include industrial
solvents and proprietary compounds, many hazardous to
humans.
If oil was so nontoxic, then why are the spill response
workers giving hazardous waste training? Our federal
government should stop pretending that everything is
27
okay. What isn't safe for workers isn't safe for the general
public either.
Ryan's rash was getting better until she sat on Pensacola
Beach to watch fireworks on July 4. The next day her skin
erupted in fiery red burns. She is worried about her
health. So are many other people along the Gulf.
Perhaps it is time for the government to protect public
health first and BP's profit second.
Riki Ott, PhD, is a marine toxicologist from Alaska, volunteering
in the Gulf. She has written two books on surviving the Exxon
Valdez oil spill - Sound Truth and Corporate Myths on biological
impact of oil to people and wildlife, and Not One Drop on
emotional impact of disaster trauma and litigation to people
and community. www.rikiott.com. Ott is working with Emerald
Coastkeeper and others to petition the EPA to delist toxic
chemical products in oil spill response.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
On Friday June 11 the family and I packed up and headed
to the “Redneck Rivera” for a week of family vacation. I
travel to the Alabama Gulf Coast and the panhandle of
Florida for mini
vacations and diving
at least 4-5 times
during the summer.
I had been monitoring
the approaching oil
through the news, the
NOAA projection maps
and talking to people
who live on the Gulf
Coast of Alabama.
The state of Alabama
issued a water quality
advisory for the
shores of Alabama the
first part of June prior
to our visit. Even
with the reports of a
few tar balls on the
beaches & water
quality advisory we
decided to go anyway, if for no other reason but help
support the area with our minimal tourist dollars.
Friday morning the water and beaches along Gulf Shores
did not have any significant amount of oil or tar balls
reported on the beach or in the water. By that afternoon,
we rolled into Gulf Shores, Al and so did the oil. That
28
evening when we
went to the beach
there was a solid line
of oil at least 6-10
feet wide down the
coast from Perdido
Pass in Orange
Beach, Al as far as
you could see west
through Gulf Shores.
Not only was there
gooey oil on the
beach but you could
see oil balls in each
wave. There was
also a strong smell of
oil, as one local
describe it as
smelling like a truck
stop. It was very
difficult to stay on
the beach in the
evening time because of the smell.
When the water quality advisory was issued the first part
of June one of the local dive shops stopped renting dive
equipment and the dive charters were going into Florida
waters where there was not a advisory. Capt. Jim Meyers
owner of Dr. Dive, a dive boat in Pensacola, Florida stated
that within days of the explosion he started getting
concerned questions and cancellations almost
immediately. I was scheduled to go out with Capt. Jim
on Tuesday, June 15 and he had to cancel the night
before because of reports from Captains in the BP’s
“vessels of opportunity” were reporting they were
picking up sub-surface oil and the oil was more wide
spread than previous days off the Pensacola, Florida
shore. Now he is diving on a day to day basis and feels
like it may be years
before regular,
unrestricted diving
operations can
resume. Capt. Jim is
also in the process
of preparing
documents to file
claims with BP.
We learned that there was a large oil slick about 6-8
miles off shore in the Gulf Shores area. Friday night we
counted 22 or more vessels off shore west of Gulf Shores
doing something with the oil. We were told that the ships
were trying to skim and contain the oil slick that
apparently was moving east. The next few days they
moved east in front of Perdido Pass and we could see
many booms that were laid out trying to protect the pass.
They are also constructing a steel boom with a curtain
that hangs under the boom across Perdido Pass to keep
the oil from entering the back bays through the pass.
I am hoping to go
back to the coast in
the middle of July
just east of Panama
City, Florida and do
some scallop
hunting with my 12
year old son.
The state of Florida
has a real time
mapping program of
29
the oil spill for the gulf coast. Reports from all agencies
including vessels of opportunity are inserted on the map
along with reports of response or what response is
needed. This site is 100 times better than NOAA ‘s maps
http://map.floridadisaster.org/GATORS
isn’t thick oil floating on top, or that heavy orange crap
on the edge. This is benzene, toluene and other
derivatives flowing past the booms, barriers and
skimmers into the bays and watersheds and killing
EVERYTHING!
Susan Snapp
The beaches are still white, but the water is toxic and the
media isn’t talking to the people who actually live here
and see all the death. It is much worse than you think,
and the story isn’t the tarballs!
********
Mark,
I am the Ground Search Captain as well as the alternate
dive team leader for Lower Alabama Search and Rescue.
(www.LASAR.net). In a previous life I served with the US
military and had a chance to work with the Israeli IDF
Forces as we practiced each other’s CQB and entry
tactics. They are awesome soldiers and people –
completely professional who are constantly vilified by the
rest of the world while they fight a daily, constant battle
with terrorists who the media portray as ‘victims’. So I
absolutely agree with your opinion of the coverage of the
so-called ‘freedom flotilla’.
But I have to take issue with you on the oil spill. I live in
Gulf Shores, AL and when I am not looking for the lost or
pulling victims out of black water I teach Scuba diving…
or at least I did. Sunday I went to Perdido pass, a place
where we take our students for Open Water dives #1 &
#2 when the gulf cooperates. At high noon the water
right at the edge was alive with hermit crabs desperately
trying to escape further up into the bay, while the
minnows and small fish where packed so tightly it looked
like sardines in a can. Understand, this was in water 1 -2
ft deep in daylight. You NEVER see this behavior. You
could see long ribbons of darker, cloudy water the color of
beef stock suspended in the water column starting about
5 -6 feet offshore where the water was poisoned. This
And we still have to dive in this crap – we are in week 3
of trying to get BP to pay for PPE that is petroleum
specific for our divers!
Jim Mahan
CPT LASAR
Editors Response:
Jim,
My editorial was not intended to make light of ANY of the
issues the oil spill is causing, rather to highlight the
misinformation and confusion created by the news media
and the way they presented the initial information. I
never believed the media was showing the true story and
the fact that they focused on a few tarballs and NOT the
real story or what was coming and the half steps of
prevention and preparation. Now I am becoming even
more convinced that information vital to cleanup and
encroachment prevention was withheld and still not
totally disclosed.
From what I understand about the dispersants that have
been used, they have caused some parts of the oil to
breakup and sink. This is causing the plumes we were
finally told about after independents went out and filmed
30
them. What we have not been told yet is what to expect
when that material sinks to the bottom and is carried in
mass by currents, where it will go, what is it going to do
the to deep water ecosystem etc.
My wife and I work with the Texas Marine Mammal
Stranding Network and have done the required training to
help with the cleanup and rescue of marine mammals. We
are NOT allowed to even touch a bird... I contacted the
bird folks in Houston and was told that in 22 years, this is
the first time they were not activated.... News and
information is not coming out that describes what you are
reporting. I have been out of touch for almost a week and
watching news today it appears that more information is
coming out.
If you are up to the task, write an article from your
perspective about the situation. I would rather have that
as part of my information base and share it than skewed
media reports.
Thanks for writing,
Mark Phillips
MarkBe happy to do so – the bureaucracy is getting worse as
the claims process backs up. We were told that a claim
for petroleum specific dive gear would be expedited, but
suddenly we have to go thru the entire process which
could take a month. I told the BP rep that I would not put
a diver in the water with this crap without the proper PPE
(especially since I am normally #1 diver of the 1st team
in), and I would ensure that everyone who asked why we
weren’t diving the recovery would be told - it was
because BP wouldn’t spring for the $30K it cost to outfit
our 8 divers. Considering they spend more than that
every day in this area on their insipid TV commercial
apologizing for the spill you gotta wonder about their
priorities. I will also track the required schools we are
required by OSHA (another bunch of morons!) to take
before we are even allowed to get close to the water. We
will be required to complete HazWopr, which is a 40 hr
certification. There is a 16 hr course which workers have
to complete to work the beaches and rescue wildlife which
is probably what got you and your wife. Here’s another
tidbit that’ll burn you … our Fire Chief, who is a HazMat
Instructor was not originally contacted to teach the
required courses. But an out of state contractor was
brought in and was discovered to be giving a 1 hr
(approx) ‘briefing’ and signing off on the paperwork that
people had completed the 40 hr course. These people
were then put in charge of work crews on boats and
skimmers. And this is just the tiny bit that I know
about……
Update 6/25/2010
As more and more info is coming out at the mandatory
HazWopr course I am currently enrolled in, the reports of
mismanagement, the lack of responsibility towards
worker safety and total inadequacy of the response is
mind boggling. Workers in one area are in full hazmat
while 100 yards down the beach workers from another
contractor are doing the same exact cleanup in street
clothes. There are no medical screens being done on
workers when hired, before or after shift as required by
OSHA when working HazMat, no oversight to ensure
decontamination after shift at all….. it is absolutely
unbelievable!
31
And now the oil has penetrated up into Mobile bay past
the Intercoastal and into the estuaries, ensuring the
destruction of the fish hatcheries and nesting areas.
I fully intend to document every FACTUAL violation I can
find as well as where the money is wasted and by who.
So far this entire process has been like putting a band-aid
on a leg amputation and I am afraid we haven’t really
seen anything yet!
Blast from the Past
Airplane Crash – Boston Harbor
Divers Assist at Boston Plane Crash
December 1960 – Skin Diver Magazine
I’ll be in touch – I will try not to melt the pages
Jim Mahan
*******
Mark,
First I want to congratulate you and your staff for the
informative PSDiver. I have been a PSDiver for more
than 20 years and teach a distinctive specialty (law
enforcement diver) through PADI.
Having experience in teaching NIMS, ICS, and functional
as diver, safety diver, and Incident Commander, I find
the methodology described in your publications
informative and, more important, conservative and
safe. Thank you for all that you do to keep our PSDivers
safe.
While my City has decided to abandon public safety
diving, I continue to teach and fully support the mission
and training opportunities presented by PSDiver.
Lt. Mark Poulos
PADI 85393
Old Press Photo
On October 4, 1960 and Easter Airlines Electra carrying
72 passengers crashed into the shallow waters of Boston
harbor shortly after take-off. Immediately a call went out
over radio and television for skin divers to ai in rescue
and recovery.
32
Affording to Bob Cahil of New England Divers, Inc., over
600 volunteer divers reported to the scene. Confusion
reigned until Jim Cahill, noted east coast diver, organized
teams led by himself, Frank Sanger and Mike O’Neil of the
Boston Sea Rovers. Recovery of the victims, sixty-one in
all, proceeded smoothly from the broken fuselage which
had settled to a depth of twenty feet.
Harold Jillson, president of the Massachusetts Council of
Dicing Clubs, has expressed deep appreciation to
members of his council who made ua a substantial
number of the volunteers.
“While the airlines assured staff and the general public
alike that the Electra was safe, the press at the time
certainly did nothing to help the matter. The headlines
spoke of the ‘killer plane’, with often contradictory and
confusing reports.” From: Electra! The Lockheed L188 by Peter J. Gates
Found on the Web :
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33
Diving Medicine Online
Ernest Campbell, MD, FACS
Comprehensive information about
diving and undersea medicine for the
non-medical diver, the non-diving
physician and the specialist.
http://www.scuba-doc.com
Psychological Disturbances
http://www.scuba-doc.com/psych.htm
Part One
Compiled by Ernest S Campbell, MD
Little work has been done to factualize the relationship
between mental conditions and scuba diving. Other than
the obvious proscriptions against someone diving who is
out of touch with reality, severely depressed and suicidal
or paranoid with delusions and hallucinations---one has to
consider the many who can dive with everyday anxieties,
fears and neuroses.
Successful divers have a profile that is positively
correlated to intelligence, is characterized by a level of
neuroticism that is average or below average, and score
well on studies of self-sufficiency and emotional stability.
There are some actual psychological disturbances that are
well known to all but are poorly documented. These
include the phobic states, over-reactive anxiety states,
illusions and responses to physiological abnormalities.
The normal anxiety induced by the undersea environment
is complicated by an over awareness of the potential but
definite dangers, causing a phobic anxiety state in
susceptible people. A vicious circle results and the diver
may then develop an actual phobia to descent into the
water. Some "dragooned" divers experience this while
learning to dive but other stronger motivating factors
temporarily override their fear.
Some divers have true claustrophobia, preventing their
immersion into water or even into a recompression
chamber. This syndrome may only surface during certain
times of stress and diminished visibility, such as in murky
water, night diving or during prolonged diving.
An agoraphobic reaction - often called "blue orb or
dome syndrome", it also is seen when a diver loses
contact with the bottom and the surface and becomes
spatially disoriented.
An over-reactive anxiety state usually occurs in response
to some inadvertent mishap, such as a mask flooding with
water-causing the diver to panic unnecessarily and
behave irrationally. Most often this results in emergency
ascents with the attendant dangers, frantic grabs for air
supplies, and lack of concern for the safety of others. This
is seen more often in those divers who have an above
normal neuroticism gradient.
Reference
Morgan WP Anxiety and panic in recreational scuba
divers. Sports Med 20 (6): 398-421 (Dec 1995) .
Scuba diving is a high-risk sport; it is estimated that 3 to
9 deaths per 100,000 divers occur annually in the US
alone, in addition to increasing numbers of cases of
decompression illness each year. However, there has
34
been a tendency within the diving community to deemphasize the risks associated with scuba diving. While
there are numerous factors responsible for the injuries
and fatalities occurring in this sport, there is general
consensus that many of these cases are caused by panic.
There is also evidence that individuals who are
characterized by elevated levels of trait anxiety are more
likely to have greater state anxiety responses when
exposed to a stressor, and hence, this sub-group of the
diving population is at an increased level of risk.
Fears associated with this environment can cause
heightened suggestibility and result in mistaking fish,
other divers and objects for sharks.
Finally, every diver has his own personality structure
which may respond differently to abnormal physiological
states and the environment. Such states include inert gas
narcosis, carbon dioxide toxicity, oxygen toxicity, HPNS,
etc. Each of these can cause reactions that vary in
intensity from a psychoneurotic reaction to on of the
organic cerebral syndromes.
Depression
The depressed diver is suffering from a mood disorder
which may swing from elation to the deepest abyss of
sadness. Most depressed people also have a lot of anger
and anxiety underlying their mood swings. Certifying or
allowing a depressed diver to continue to dive carries with
it significant dangers to the diver and to his buddy. There
appear to be some recorded scuba fatalities that were
suicides - apparently decided upon at the moment.
Any mood condition that clouds a diver's ability to make
decisions in the underwater environment is clearly
dangerous and should not be allowed. Mood altering
drugs used to treat depression are clearly potent and
must be used with caution when diving, paying particular
attention to the warnings about use in hazardous
situations. Rarely do we know the pharmacological
changes that take place from the physiological effects of
diving on the effects of the drug. Also, discontinuance of
the drug in order to dive, even for a short period of time,
may be unwise.
Psychological Issues in Diving
(As published in DAN's 'Alert Diver', Sept-Dec, 2000)
Introduction
Little research has been done to factualize the
relationship between mental conditions and scuba diving.
Other than the obvious proscriptions against someone
diving that is out of touch with reality, severely depressed
and suicidal or paranoid with delusions and hallucinations--one has to consider the many who can dive with
everyday anxieties, fears and neuroses.
Successful divers have a profile that is positively
correlated to intelligence, is characterized by a level of
neuroticism that is average or below average, and score
well on studies of self-sufficiency and emotional stability.
There are some actual psychological disturbances that are
well known to all but which are poorly studied and
documented as concerns the risks of scuba diving. These
include the depressions, bipolar disorder, anxiety and
phobic states, panic disorders, narcolepsy and
schizophrenia.
In addition to the risks caused by the condition itself, one
must add the possible hazards of effects and side effects
of medications - either as taken singly or even more
dangerous, in combination. Needless to say, there have
35
been and probably will not be good scientific studies that
will indicate the safety or danger of any given set of
conditions and drugs. The role of medication in diving is
usually less important than the condition for which the
medication is being used. A mood-altering medication is
plainly powerful and should be used with care in diving.
Drugs that carry warnings as dangerous for use while
driving or using hazardous equipment should also be
thought of as dangerous for divers. The interaction
between the physiological effects of diving and the
pharmacological effects of medications is usually an
educated supposition. Each situation will have to be
carefully evaluated individually, and there is no general
rule that applies to all.
Finally, every diver has his own personality makeup,
which may respond differently to abnormal physiological
states and changes in the environment from the effects of
various gases under pressure. Such states as inert gas
narcosis, carbon dioxide toxicity, oxygen toxicity, HPNS,
deep water blackout all can cause reactions that are
similar to a psychoneurotic reaction or one of the organic
cerebral syndromes. Therefore the diver, the dive
instructor and the certifying physician all must be aware
of the all the possibilities and protean manifestations of
each and every individual case before allowing or
disallowing diving with psychological problems.
**********************************************
Depressive Disorders (Depression and Manic
Depression) (Bipolar disorder)
Overview of Depressive Illnesses and Its Symptoms
Depressive and manic depressive illnesses are the two
major types of depressive illness, also known as affective
disorders, or mood disorders, because they primarily
affect a person's mood. Different terms, respectively,
include unipolar and bipolar disorder. In this section, we
will predominately discuss major depressive disorder and
manic depression, which encompasses symptoms of
depression and mania or hypomania, a more moderate
syndrome than full-blown mania.
It is estimated that over 17.4 million adults in the U.S.
suffer from an affective disorder each year--that's one out
of every seven people. If you've never been depressed,
chances are that at some point in your life, you will
become affected. Women are twice as likely as men to
experience major depression while manic depression
occurs equally among the sexes. The highest percentages
of these illnesses occur between the ages of 25 and 44.
Where do these illnesses come from? Genetic,
biochemical and environmental factors can each play a
role in onset and progression. While us all experience
occasional highs and lows, depressive disorders are
characterized by their extremes in intensity and duration.
People with severe, untreated depression have a suicide
rate as high as 15 percent. In fact, the number one cause
of suicide in the U.S. is untreated depression. Even so, of
all psychiatric illnesses, affective disorders are among the
most responsive to treatment. If given proper care,
approximately 80 percent of patients with major
depression demonstrate significant improvement and lead
productive lives. Although the treatment success rate is
not as high for bipolar disorder, a substantial number
experience a return to a higher quality of life.
The Cause of Affective Disorders
Research shows that some people may have a genetic
predisposition to affective disorders. If someone in your
family has had such an illness, that does not necessarily
mean you will develop it, nor does it explain conclusively
why you did. It does increase your chances of
36
experiencing depression of an endogenous nature
(biological in basis). This is commonly referred to as
clinical depression to distinguish it from short-term states
of depressed mood or unhappiness. Even if you don't
have a genetic predisposition, your body chemistry can
trigger the onset of a depressive disorder, due to the
presence of another illness, altered health habits,
substance abuse, or hormonal fluctuations.
Depression can also be triggered by distressing life
events, resulting in reactive depression. Losses and
repeated disillusionment, from death to disappointment in
love, can cause anyone to feel depressed especially if
they have not developed effective coping skills. If these
symptoms persist for more than two weeks, maintaining
or increasing in intensity, this reactive depression may
actually have evolved into a clinical depression.
Regardless of its cause, the presence of depressive or
manic-depressive illness indicates an imbalance in the
brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. In other words,
the brain's electrical mood-regulating system is not
working as it should.
An episode of depression can usually by treated
successfully with psychotherapy or antidepressant
medication, or a combination of both. The choice depends
on the exact nature of the illness. With treatment, up to
80% of depressed people show improvement, usually in a
matter of weeks.
Most depressed people also have a lot of anger and
anxiety underlying their mood swings. Certifying or
allowing a depressed diver to continue to dive carries with
it significant dangers to the diver and to his buddy. It is
possible that there are some scuba fatalities that were
suicides - apparently decided upon at the moment.
Any mood condition that clouds a diver's ability to make
decisions in the underwater environment is clearly
dangerous and should not be allowed. Mood altering
drugs used to treat depression are clearly potent and
must be used with caution when diving, paying particular
attention to the warnings about use in hazardous
situations. Rarely do we know the pharmacological
changes that take place from the physiological effects of
diving on the effects of the drug. Also, discontinuance of
the drug in order to dive, even for a short period of time,
may be unwise.
Here are some of the symptoms of depression:
*Prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells
*Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns
*Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety
* Pessimism, indifference
* Loss of energy, persistent lethargy
*Feelings of guilt, worthlessness
*Inability to concentrate, indecisiveness
*Inability to take pleasure in former interests, social
withdrawal
*Unexplained aches and pains
*Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Symptoms of Mania (Bipolar disorder)
*Heightened mood, exaggerated optimism and self
confidence
*Decreased need for sleep without experiencing
fatigue
*Grandiose delusions, inflated sense of self-importance
*Excessive irritability, aggressive behavior
*Increased physical and mental activity
*Racing speech, flight of ideas, impulsiveness
*Poor judgment, easily distracted
*Reckless behavior (spending sprees, rash business
37
decisions, erratic driving, sexual indiscretions)
*In the most severe cases, hallucinations
Divers experiencing four or more of the above symptoms
of either or both depression or mania should seek
professional help if symptoms persist for longer than two
weeks. Diving should be curtailed until the problem is
appropriately managed. Divemasters and instructors
should learn to recognize any changes in their divers'
appearances, reactions and personalities and be quick to
note any of the above signs and symptoms. Medical
professionals also need to be aware of the dangers of
diving to individuals who have conditions or are on
medications that might alter consciousness or cause
alteration in decision making ability in the underwater
environment.
Advice About Diving
Whether or not a person with depression should be
certified as 'fit to dive' should be decided on the merits of
each case, the type of drugs required, the response to
medication, and the length of time free of depressive or
manic problems. Most probably could be allowed to dive,
particularly those who have responded well to
medications over a long term. Decision-making ability,
responsibility to other divers and relationship to drug
induced side effects that would limit ability to gear up and
move in the water should be taken into consideration.
Prospective divers should in all cases provide full
disclosure of their condition and medications to the dive
instructor and certifying agency - bearing in mind the
safety of buddies, dive instructors, divemasters and other
individuals who are always affected by diving incidents.
Medications used to treat depression and
bipolar disorders
Buprenorphine/Buprenex
Buprenorphine has been used to treat depression that has
not responded to usual medication regimens.
Side Effects Adverse to divers:
· Drowsiness: A few patients may feel tired from
buprenorphine.
· Low Blood Pressure: Avoid standing from a sitting or
lying position quickly.
· Headache
******************************
Buproprion/Wellbutrin/Zyban
Buproprion is used to treat depression, attention deficit
disorder, bipolar disorders, and smoking cessation.
Side effect that is adverse to diving:
Increased incidence of seizure activity, dose-related.
*************************
Buspirone / Buspar
Buspirone is used to treat anxiety or depressive
symptoms, aggressiveness, irritability, or agitation, and
may be used to augment the effectiveness of an
antidepressant or treat certain antidepressant-induced
side effects.
Side Effects that may be adverse to diving;
Drowsiness: Occurs rarely. Make sure you know how you
react to this medicine before driving or using dangerous
machinery. Dizziness: This is uncommon, but may occur
especially 30-60 minutes after taking a dose, with walking
or standing.
****************************
Carbamazepine / Tegretol
This medication can be used to prevent or reduce the
38
severity of mood swings. It is also helpful in preventing
the recurrence of depression.
Side Effects that may be adverse to diving.
Drowsiness: This is usually only a problem the first few
weeks you are on Carbamazepine. If this is a problem, be
very cautious while driving or working with dangerous
machinery.
Dizziness: This is usually temporary and will go away with
continued use. You may avoid this by rising or changing
positions slowly.
******************************
Lamotrigine
Lamotrigine belongs to a group of medications called
anticonvulsants. Anticonvulsants are used to control
seizure disorders. In psychiatry lamotrigine may also be
used to stabilize mood, especially in Bipolar Affective
Disorders.
Possible side effects adverse to diving include:
· Dizziness or drowsiness: Know how you react to this
medicine before driving or operating dangerous
machinery.
Other possible side effects include:
· Balance problems, dizziness, headache, blurred vision,
tremor, nausea.
***************************
Lithium (Lithonate, Eskalith, Lithobid, Lithane)
This medication has several uses. When taken regularly,
Lithium helps prevent or reduce the severity of mood
swings. Lithium can also be used to augment the
effectiveness of an antidepressant.
Side effects adverse to diving may occur:
· Muscular weakness: This usually goes away with
continued use.
· Drowsiness: This usually goes away with time. If you
are drowsy, use caution with driving or operating
dangerous machinery. .
Too much Lithium can cause toxicity.
· Nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, tremor, dizziness,
sleepiness, slurred speech, balance problems.
***********************
Monoamine-Oxidase Inhibitors:
Nardil/Phenelzine and Parnate/Tranylcypromine
MAOI’s are used to treat depression and anxiety
disorders.
This medication is usually very well tolerated.
However possible side effects include:
· Dizziness: This may be due to low blood pressure.
Dizziness may occur when you get up quickly or
rapidly change positions. Arise or change positions
slowly. This tends to occur only the first 2 months of
treatment or with dosage increases. Taking all the
dose at bedtime, or taking several smaller doses
during the day may be helpful. Contact your
physician before making any dosage changes.
· Drowsiness: This is usually transient, lasting up to
several months.
· Tremor: This is an uncommon side effect, which
may improve with continued use of the medication.
***********************
Methylphenidate / Ritalin
Methylphenidate is used to treat Attention Deficit
Disorder, and to augment the effects of
antidepressants.
· Excessive stimulation: Consider decreasing the
39
dose or waiting longer between doses.
· Nervousness: This may occur when beginning to
take this medication or increasing the dose.
· Increased blood pressure: Have your blood
pressure checked weekly while on this.
· Increased resting heart rate: This tends to return
to normal after a couple months.
· Infrequent side effects may include: headache,
abdominal discomfort, fatigue.
*************************
Mirtazapine (Remeron)
Mirtazapine is used to treat depressive and anxiety
symptoms.
· Drowsiness: Mirtazapine should be taken one hour
before bedtime. Make sure you know how you
react to this drug before driving or using dangerous
machinery. Drowsiness often disappears with
increased dose.
· Dizziness: Arise from sitting or lying position
slowly.
· Dry Mouth: Drink plenty of fluids. Chew sugarless
gum or suck on sugarless candy to promote saliva
production.
***********************
Venlafaxine / Effexor
Venlafaxine is used to treat depressive symptoms
and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
· Anxiety/restlessness: This may diminish with
continued use.
· Drowsiness: Make sure you know how you react to
this medicine before driving or using dangerous
machinery.
· Dry Mouth: This may diminish with continued use.
Dry mouth may increase your risk for dental
disease. Chew sugarless gum and brush at least
daily with fluoridated toothpaste.
· Rare side effects include: Seizure, fainting, muscle
tightness, menstrual changes, excitability, trouble
breathing, swelling of feet or legs.
********************
S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe)
SAMe has been cited to alleviate depression, reduce
symptoms of fibromyalgia, slow progress of
osteoarthritis, improve memory, reduce alcoholinduced liver damage, and possibly reduce
symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
· Dry Mouth: Drink plenty of fluids. Chew sugarless
gum or suck on sugarless candy.
· Blurred vision: Unusual.
· Restlessness, anxiety, &/or elation
· Patients with bipolar depression may switch to a
manic state. .
***********************
Sertraline / Zoloft
Sertraline is used to treat depression, anxiety, and
obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Possible side effects adverse to diving include
include:
· Anxiety/restlessness: This will usually diminish with
continued use.
· Drowsiness: If this occurs, take this medication 1
hour before bedtime. This usually diminishes with
continued use.
· Dry mouth: This may diminish with continued use.
40
Dry mouth may increase your risk for dental
disease. Chew sugarless gum and brush at least
daily with fluoridated toothpaste.
· Tremor: This tends to diminish with continued use.
· Bruising/bleeding: Use of sertraline can slightly
increase risk of bruising and bleeding, but this can
be significant when aspirin or non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (e.g naproxen, ibuprofen,
ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, diclofenac, sulfasalazine,
sulindac, oxaprozin, salsalate, piroxicam,
indomethacin, etodolac) are also taken.
Barotrauma is a hazard.
St. John's Wort
St.John's wort is used to treat mild to moderate
depression and possibly anxiety. This medication is not
recommended for treatment of severe depression,
including depression with suicidal thoughts, psychotic
features (hallucinations, confused thoughts), or
melancholia (weight loss, early morning awakening, very
low energy).
Possible side effects include:
· Anxiety/restlessness: This will usually go away with
continued use.
· Fatigue: This is uncommon and usually goes away with
continued use.
· Concentration: Some studies demonstrate improved
concentration and attention.
· Dizziness: This is uncommon and usually goes away
with continued use.
**************************
Tricylic Antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants are used to treat depression,
anxiety, and chronic pain.
Possible side effects inimical to diving include:
· Drowsiness: This is usually a problem only during the
first few days of starting or increasing the dose. Be
cautious with driving and operating dangerous
machinery until this symptom clears up. If this occurs,
take this medication 1 hour before bedtime. This usually
goes away with continued use.
· Dizziness: This may occur when you get up too quickly
or rapidly change positions. Avoid this by changing
positions slowly, especially during the night.
· Dry Mouth: This may disappear with continued use. Dry
mouth may increase risk of dental disease. Chew
sugarless gum, suck on sugarless candy, drink plenty of
water, and brush at least daily with fluoridated
toothpaste.
· Blurred Vision: This is usually temporary, rarely serious,
and diminishes with continued use. Contact your
physician if severe. .
***************************
Topiramate / Topamax
Topiramate belongs to a group of medications called
seizure disorders. In psychiatry topiramate may also be
used to stabilize mood, especially in Bipolar Affective
Disorders.
Possible side effects adverse to divers include:
· Dizziness/drowsiness: Usually goes away with continued
use.
· Difficulty concentrating: May not appear until after the
first month of taking topiramate.
· Tingling feelings of extremities: May disappear after first
month of treatment.
· Double vision: May be temporary side effect.
****************************
Trazodone / Desyrel
41
Trazodone is used to treat depression, some sleep
problems, and agitation.
· Drowsiness: Do not drive a car or operate dangerous
machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
Taking the evening dose 10 hours before arising the
next morning may make this more tolerable.
· Dry mouth: This is usually temporary. Suck on sugarless
candy or chew sugarless gum. Use fluoridated
toothpaste at least twice daily.
· Dizziness: This may occur when you arise from a lying
or sitting position too quickly, especially 4-6 hours after
taking your medication. Rise and change positions more
slowly to let your body adjust.
*************************
Valproic Acid / Depakote
Valproic acid belongs to a group of medications called
seizure disorders, but in psychiatry Valproic Acid may also
be used to stabilize mood, especially in Bipolar Disorders.
Possible side effects averse to diving include:
This medication may cause drowsiness. Know how you
react to this medicine before driving or operating
dangerous machinery.
***************************
Nefazodone / Serzone
Nefazodone is used to treat depression and anxiety
symptoms.
· Drowsiness: Do not drive a car or operate dangerous
machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
· Dry mouth: This is usually temporary. Suck on sugarless
candy or chew sugarless gum. Use fluoridated
toothpaste at least twice daily.
· Dizziness: This may occur when you arise from a lying
or sitting position too quickly, especially 4-6 hours after
taking your medication. Rise and change positions more
slowly to let your body adjust.
· Low Blood Pressure: This is uncommon and may subside
with continued use.
· Blurred Vision: This is unusual, usually temporary, and
usually subsides with continued use.
****************************
Paroxetine / Paxil
Paroxetine is used to treat depression, anxiety, and
obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Possible side effects inimical to diving include:
· Anxiety/restlessness: This will usually go away with
continued use. If this causes difficulty, contact your
psychiatrist.
· Drowsiness: If this occurs, take this medication 1 hour
before bedtime. This usually goes away with continued
use.
· Dry Mouth: This may disappear with continued use. Dry
mouth may increase risk of dental disease. Chew
sugarless gum and brush at least daily with fluoridated
toothpaste.
· Blurred Vision: This is usually temporary and will
diminish with continued use.
· Tremor: This tends to go away with continued use.
· Bruising/bleeding: Use of paroxetine can slightly
increase risk of bruising and bleeding, but this can be
significant when aspirin or non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (e.g naproxen, ibuprofen,
ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, diclofenac, sulfasalazine,
sulindac, oxaprozin, salsalate, piroxicam, indomethacin,
etodolac) are also taken. This might be a danger with
42
barotrauma.
**********************************************
Anxiety, Phobias and Panic Attacks
Normally, fear and anxiety can he helpful, helping us to
avoid dangerous situations, making us alert and giving us
the motivation to deal with problems. However, if the
feelings become too strong or go for too long, they can
stop us from doing the things we want to and can make
our lives miserable.
Anxiety in the mind causes worried feelings, tiredness,
loss of concentration, irritability and insomnia. It affects
the body by producing irregular heartbeat, sweating,
tense muscles and pain, heavy rapid breathing, dizziness,
faintness, indigestion and diarrhea.
These symptoms are often mistaken by anxious people
for evidence of serious physical illness and their worry
about this can make the symptoms even worse. Sudden
unexpected surges of anxiety are called panic, and
usually lead to the person having to quickly get out of
whatever situation they happen to be in. Panic occurring
at depth can lead to near-drowning and lung overexpansion injuries and death.
The normal anxiety induced by the undersea environment
is complicated by an over-awareness of the potential but
definite dangers, causing a phobic anxiety state in
susceptible people. A vicious circle results and the diver
may then develop an actual phobia to descent into the
water. Some "dragooned" divers experience this while
learning to dive but other stronger motivating factors
temporarily override their fear. Anxiety is a normal
human feeling. We all experience it when faced with
situations we find threatening or difficult.
An over-reactive anxiety state usually occurs in response
to some inadvertent mishap, such as a mask flooding with
water-causing the diver to panic unnecessarily and
behave irrationally. Most often this results in emergency
ascents with the attendant dangers, frantic grabs for air
supplies, and lack of concern for the safety of others. This
is seen more often in those divers who have an above
normal neuroticism gradient.
Phobias
A phobia is a fear of particular situations or things that
are not dangerous and which most people do not find
troublesome. A person with a phobia has intense
symptoms of anxiety, as described above. But they only
arise from time to time in the particular situations that
frighten them. At other times they don't feel anxious. If
you have a phobia of dogs, you will feel OK if there are no
dogs around, if you are scared of heights, you feel OK at
ground level, and if you can't face social situations, you
will feel calm when there are no people around.
A phobia will lead the sufferer to avoid situations in which
they know they will be anxious, but this will actually make
the phobia worse as time goes on. It can also mean that
the person's life becomes increasingly dominated by the
precautions they have to take to avoid the situation they
fear. Sufferers usually know that there is no real danger,
they may feel silly about their fear but they are still
unable to control it. A phobia is more likely to go away if
it has started after a distressing or traumatic event.
About one in every ten people will have troublesome
anxiety or phobias at some point in their lives. However,
most will never ask for treatment. Some divers have true
claustrophobia, preventing their immersion into water or
even into a recompression chamber. This syndrome may
43
only surface during certain times of stress and diminished
visibility, such as in murky water, night diving or during
prolonged diving. There is no one cure for it, but there
are various treatments, such as Exposure therapy, a
behavioral technique that exposes you to the situation
you fear most -- being in enclosed spaces. The two most
popular forms of this therapy are 'slow desensitization'
and 'flooding'. Flooding is a rapid and more intense form
of desensitization without any relaxation techniques.
Rather you are exposed directly to what you most fear
until the anxiety subsides. Such direct exposure can be
imagined or an actual confrontation with the phobic
trigger. This would seem to be a dangerous method of
treatment in the underwater milieu.
An agoraphobic reaction - often called "blue orb or dome
syndrome (http://www.scuba-doc.com/bluorb.htm), it
also is seen when a diver loses contact with the bottom
and the surface and becomes spatially disoriented.
Sensory deprivation can also cause illusions, particularly
when there is impaired visibility. Anxiety associated with
this environment can cause heightened suggestibility and
result in mistaking fish, other divers and objects for
sharks.
Look for
Psychological Disturbances
Part Two
In PSDiver Monthly Issue 75
* EVENTS*
Come out to a DUI DOG Rally & Demo
Tour and Actually TEST DIVE DUI
Drysuits, DiveWear Insulation and
Accessories
http://www.dui-online.com/dog_main.html
All Public Safety Diver programs are held in conjunction
with DUI DOG Rally & Demo Tour dates. In most cases,
the event is held on Friday for public safety divers only
with the DOG Rally event open to the general public on
Saturday and Sunday.
August 27 ,2010
Sept 24, 2010
October 1, 2010
October 22 ,2010
Nov 5 ,2010
Nov 12 ,2010
Seattle, WA Mukilteo Lighthouse Park
Metropolis, IL Mermet Springs
Portland, CT Brownstone Quarry
Rawlings, VA Lake Rawlings
Chiefland, FL Manatee Springs
Terrell, TX Clear Springs Scuba Park
July 14, 2010 - Saturday, July 17, 2010
IAI
Spokane, WA
www.theiai.org
July 20, 2010 - Friday, July 23, 2010
5th Annual College and University Police and
Investigators Conference
Vienna, VA
cupic.gmu.edu
July 24, 2010 – , July 29, 2010
44
Evidence Photographer Certification
Atlanta, GA
www.evidencephotographers.com
September 7, 2010 - September 10, 2010
AFQAM 2010 Conference
New Orleans, LA
www.afqam.org
July 26, 2010 - July 28, 2010
Green Mountain DNA Conference
Burlington, VT
www.greenmountaindna.com
ASCLD
Baltimore, MD
www.ascld.org
August 2, 2010 - August 6, 2010
Pattern Evidence Symposium
Clearwater Beach, FL
http://projects.nfstc.org/ipes/
August 2, 2010 - August 7, 2010
2010 Continuing Education for Forensic
Professionals Program
Boston, MA
http://fsi.research.wvu.edu/
Minnesota Division IAI Annual Educational
Conference
Brooklyn Park, MN
www.mniai.org
SAFS Annual Fall Meeting
Tunica, MS
www.southernforensic.org
August 8, 2010 - August 13, 2010
IHIA 17th Annual Symposium
Sparks, NV
www.ihia.org
August 17, 2010 - August 19, 2010
Forensic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Symposium
Ames, IA
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/training/bloodstain-pattern.htm
August 27, 28, 29 2010
Underwater Body and Weapon Recovery
ALVIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Department of Criminal Justice
http://psdiver.com/images/Alvin_Community_College_2010_PSD_Release-secure.pdf
SWAFS Annual Meeting
Grapevine, TX
www.swafs.us
September 29, 2010 - October 1, 2010
Ohio Identification Officers Association Fall Training
Conference
Newark, OH
www.oioa.org
October 1, 2010 - October 6, 2010
NAME Annual Meeting
Cleveland, OH
www.thename.org
45
The 2010 Midwestern Association of Forensic
Scientists Annual Meeting
Kansas City, MO
www.mafs.net
MAFS/MFRC Crime Scene Investigation Symposium
Kansas City, MO
www.mafs.net
The Tennessee Division of the IAI Annual
Conference
Nashville, TN
www.tniai.org
Missouri Division of the IAI Annual Educational
Conference
Lake Ozark, MO
www.moiai.org
Atlanta, GA
International Symposium on Human Identification
San Antonio, TX
www.promega.com/applications/hmnid/worformeetings/
Association of Forensic Document Examiners
Annual Symposium
Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ
afde.org
Florida Division of the IAI – Annual Conference
St Petersburg, FL
www.fdiai.org
Monday, October 18, 2010 - Friday, October 22, 2010
SOFT
Richmond, VA
www.soft-tox.org
Indiana Division of the IAI Annual Educational
Conference
Fort Wayne, IN
www.iniai.org
1st Annual World Congress of Forensics
Dalian, China
www.bitlifesciences.com/wcf2010/
IACP Annual Conference
Orlando, FL
www.theiacp.org
November 5, 2010 - November 6, 2010
Chesapeake Bay Division IAI Fall Conference
Ocean City, MD
www.cbdiai.org
46
2010 NEAFS & NEDIAI Joint Meeting
Manchester, VT
www.neafs.org ; www.nediai.org
PSDiver Monthly Continuing Education
PSDM-CE-74
DEMA SHOW 2010
November 17-20 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Visit www.demashow.com to register.
Cause and Manner of Death
Pittsburgh, PA
www.duq.edu/forensics
1) Nitrogen absorption by the body is only
below depths of :
a. 1 foot
b. 10 feet
c. 33 feet
d. 100 feet
2) Which of the following could be a crime
scene?
a. Reported accidental drowning
b. Victim with gun shot wound
c. Vehicle accident
d. Until death cause has been determined,
all scenes are a crime scene.
January 11, 2011 - January 18, 2011
San Antonio, TX
January 16, 2011 - January 18, 2011
EPIC – Imaging USA
San Antonio, TX
3) A.H.J. is considered to mean:
a. Area having jurisdiction
b. Authority having jurisdiction
c. Agency having jurisdiction
d. Anyone having jurisdiction
February 8, 2011 - February 10, 2011
ACSR Annual Training Conference
Jacksonville, FL
www.acsr.org
February 21, 2011 - February 26, 2011
AAFS
Chicago, IL
www.aafs.org
If you have an event or know of an event that might
be of interest to PSDiver Monthly subscribers, send
the information to: [email protected]
4) The statue of limitations for charging a
person with homicide is:
a. 7 years
b. 10 years
c. 25 years
d. No Limitation
47
5) A forensic investigation is only useful for
fresh water drownings.
a. True
b. False
6) Because of the Federal Privacy Act, a
video of the recovery of a deceased
person is not admissable in a court.
a. True
b. False
7) OSH stands for:
a. Official Standards for Homeland
Security
b. Officer Submitted Hardcopy
c. Office of Standards Head
d. Occupational Safety and Health
8) OIC Stands for
a. Official Incident Coding
b. Office of Internal Criminology
c. Officer in Charge
d. Nothing – Its Latin for Deceased
9) DNA
a.
b.
c.
d.
stands for
Dept of Nuclear Administration
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Dicromatic Nuclitic Acid
Dead – Not Alive
10)
Although useful, latent fingerprits
are not normally able to be recovered
after the object they are on has been
immersed in water.
a. True
b. False
Team Discussion:
1) Discuss within your team what the term
evidence means.
2) Discuss within your team if your department
should be the ones recovering evidence.
Discuss training in this area
3) Discuss if all of your diving falls within the OSH
exemption.
4) Discuss your procedures and training as it
relates to ‘recovery” and applicability of OSH
rules.
5) Discuss how the NIMS typing defines your
team and what you should be doing under
NIMS.
HOME WORK!
VERIFY YOUR DOCUMENTS AND FORMS
Contact your local LE and obtain copies of ALL of
their forms and fillable paperwork that is used on or
during a crime scene investigation.
Compare those forms and paperwork to what you
are presently using and modify yours to fit theirs.
If you are LE or have already done this, contact
either or both the next closest dive team to yours or
the closest LE agency and get theirs. Compare theirs
to yours amd make adjustments as necessary in the
event you are called to work for or support them.
48
These training agencies have recognized
PSDiver Monthly as a valued addition to their
programs and Continuing Education
requirements.
Try this test. Scroll down and do the quiz as it instructs
and find out what movie is your favorite. It really works!
This amazing math quiz can likely predict which of 18
films you would enjoy the most. Don't ask me how.
Public Safety Diving Association(PSDA)
Pick a number from 1-9.
recognizes and approves the
PSDiver CE program. Each
month’s Q&A program credits 1
CEU for renewal up to a maximum
of 3 CEUs from this source for
each year’s renewal.
Multiply by 3 and then add 3.
Multiply by 3 again.
Now add the two digits together to find your predicted
favorite movie in the list of 15 movies below.
ERDI Recognizes and
supports the PSDiver
Monthly CE Program.
Contact your ERDI
Instructor for details.
Life Saving Resources
Lifesaving Resources advocates the need for Public Safety and Rescue personnel to be trained in Water and Ice Rescue and recognizes the PSDiver Monthly CE Program for continuing education training and credits.
We welcome all training agencies and
organizations to participate.
For details, email [email protected]
answers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A D C D B B D C B B
Mine was "Star Wars" - So be honest, and do it before
you scroll down to see the list below. It's easy and it
works.
Now look up your number in the list below...
1. Gone With The Wind
2. E.T.
3. Beverly Hills Cop
4. Star Wars
5. Forrest Gump
6. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
7. Jaws
8. Grease
9. The Joy of Sex with a Goat
10. Casablanca
11. Jurassic Park
12. Shrek
13. Pirates of the Caribbean
14. Titanic
15. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
It is really amazing, isn't it?
49
NOTES:
50

PSDiver Monthly Issue 74

Transcription

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